By Uwemedimo Umanah
May I begin this treatise by saying that as a development historian with imprint in the media, it beckons
on me and others with similar intellectual pedigree and professional experience to chronicle on the basis of all fragmentary evidence, significant aspects of africa’s development process.
In doing this, we have been exposed to a plethora of theories, perspectives and concepts which has given a clearer interpretation and insights into understanding the african development reality.
The concept of paradigm shift is the latest of these theoretical frameworks. Although the concept belongs to the realm of the physical sciences as propounded by professor Thomas Kuhn, it propensity at explaining the dynamics of leadership and other social facts underscores its usefulness.
Before I proceed, let me shade some lights on the concept of paradigms and paradigm shift.
In 1962, Thomas Kuhn wrote The Structure of Scientific Revolution, and fathered, defined and popularised the concept of “paradigm shift”. Kuhn argues that scientific advancement is not evolutionary, but rather is a “series of peaceful interludes punctuated by intellectually violent revolutions”, and in those revolutions “one conceptual world view is replaced by another”.
A Paradigm is our perception of reality, our view of the world. It is our interpretation of events based on previous teaching we have received. For instance,If our paradigm is based only on our input from the media of conventional newspapers, magazines, radio, television, Hollywood films, public education etc., may God help us, for we would confine our thought and perception of reality to those of the elite and bourgeoisie who control these sources of information! This is often the opposite of the truth. A paradigm shift means to have a sudden change in perception, a sudden change in point of view, of how you see things and this change will be in the right direction. When the American people decided against established paradigm to vote for Barrack Obama, an Afro- Amarican, as their president in a multi- party elections, it represented a paradigm shift which impacted on the history of that country and its people.
One area which has experienced a paradigm shift owing principally to its sound, bold and imaginative leadership is the housing and urban renewal sub sector of the state. Under the suprintendency of Emmanuel Enoidem, a seasoned lawyer, astute politician and statesman with a unparalleled leadership mien the ministry of housing and urban renewal has experienced a revolutionary turn around as evidenced in its historic feats in the last 5 years.
Political leadership is said to experience a paradigm shift if/ when it invests in political will to bring about rapid and far- reaching changes in contravention of the old order of primitive accumulation and personalisation of leadership. Paradigm shift in leadership include centrally, making the people, who are the locus of political power, the owners of development.
Suffice it to say that in the process of sweeping change, a reformer, Nicollo Machiavelli indicates would naturally find enemies from the beneficiaries of the old order and a lukewarm attitude from those who would benefit from the new order.
Emmanuel Enoidem’s leadership style stems from his background as a lawyer: the statesman gained admission into the Rivers State University of Science and Technology to study law for the purpose of correcting the ills of oppression, victimisation and inequalities in the society. Addressing journalists at his country home recently, the commissioner narrated the basis of his phobia for oppression in the following ways:
“After the war, soldiers invaded my father’s compound and forcibly relocated my father from where I have built this house to somewhere else… That incident caused me a great deal of trauma that I thought of going into the university to study law so that I would be armed to fight against the recurrence of such oppression… summarily, I studied law because I hate inequality, oppression and servitude in the society”
As a lawyer, Barr Enoidem had neither deviated from his calling nor closed his eye to injustice in the social milieu. Iniobong ukwak, who was a beneficiary of Enoidem’s human right advocacy told news men this:” when, as a councillor i had issues with the local government chairman which saw us in court, I hired Barr Enoidem as my lawyer and he defended me so passionately, he never charged me a dime throughout the legal tussle… sometimes, he would even give me money for my transport and feeding… Enoidem is humane”.
This quality, Enoidem has brought to bear in leadership as the commissioner for Housing where he places the development of the state uppermost in his hierarchy of values, above his personal consideration.
Barr Enoidem has never left a stone unturned in the supervision of projects executed by his ministry or any committee he heads. A case in point was during the relocation of the uyo market to Akpan Andem. The political horse trading and intrigues that ensued would have forced an unprincipled leader to compromise his integrity. There were instances that traders attempted to contribute money through proxy to bribe the typists and other workers, thanks to Barr Enoidem whose supervisory acumen ensured that justice and fair play characterised the process of allocation/ allotment of shops. The point that deserve emphasis here is that african politicians conceive of political office as an opportunity for personal aggrandisement, and in the case of uyo market, would have compromised their integrity for some millions of naira, but Barr Enoidem took the path of paradigm shift, the path of honour and ultimately, the path of integrity. Barr Emmanuel Enoidem has bequeathed to this generation a renewed confidence in leadership and governance.
Corruption is the principal cause of Africa’s crises of development and this vice has several manifestation: cronism, political clieintelism, and bribery, favouritism among others. When Mansa Kankan Musa of the Mali Empire embarked on his much celebrated pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324, he carried along several measure of gold which he distributed/ donated to whoever came out to massage his ego through cheers, chants and songs. Its ironical that the powerful king, at the end of his pilgrimage was bankrupt and had to borrowed money to finance his return and that of his entourage. The highpoint of this is that Mansa Musa laid the foundation for extravagance and mediocrity in africa’s leadership history.
Barr Emmanuel Enoidem believes that mediocrity is a bane to development and that a mediocre has no marked place in history. It was the mediocrity of Louis XVI of france as evidenced in his inability to manage the Estate General that led to the french revolution. For a long time, no king had summoned the Estate Generals, but because louis wanted to be loved created the contradictions which later dismantled the french monarchy.
In this regard, Emmanuel Enoidem, like Charles de Gaulle believes that “in politics, national expediency comes before personal considerations”, hence, in the discharge of his duty, Barr Enoidem would sacrifice his convenience: sleep, rest, feeding, recreation among others to deliver on the task before him, in the overall interest of the state. But one thing which deserves attention is his relationship with his staff and lieutenants. Barr Enoidem would make them feel and operate as team players in whatever task is before him. Warren Bennis captures the idiosyncratic feature of leadership which has found expression in Commissioner Enoidem’s leadership style:
“Good leaders make people feel that they’re at the very heart of things, not at the periphery. Everyone feels that he or she makes a difference to the success of the organization. When that happens, people feel centred and that gives their work meaning.” Herein lies the basis of “distributed leadership” which underpin enoidem’s work ethic. As a pragmatic democrat, Barr Enoidem believes that through distributed leadership, which is a shared process of enhancing the individual and collective capacity of people to accomplish their work effectively instead of being a “heroic leader who does work, an organisation would bring about cutting edge results. This represent a shift from the modus operandi of among african political leaders.
As social democrat, Barr Emmanuel Enoidem has been a strong advocate of the Millennium Development Goals, particularly those that concern maternal health and HIV/AIDS, which he sees as an impediment to African development. In that spirit, the personage and statesman recently organised a 3- day free medical treatment for the people of his village, utu nsekhe/ ikot eboro in etim ekpo local government area of Akwa Ibom State. The health initiative in which 2000 people with various health- related challenges took part also drew commendation from stakeholders in the political, media, religious and banking circles and non- governmental organisations( NGOs). Thanking the people for their show of love by attending the event despite their busy schedules and the distance, Barr Enoidem enthused “that the programme would be a yearly event as long as he lives on earth…” He also promised to build a civic centre in the village where such events would be held, in addition to the free JAMB/WAEC tutorials for students living in there and its environs.
The current trend of globalisation which heralds the process of villagisation of culture, infrastructure, and technology among other variables, calls for quality service delivery in all ramifications of development. In this regard, the Akwa Ibom State Government led by its dynamic and prudent Governor, Godswill Akpabio soars above board by integrating the state into the international capitalist system through path breaking infrastructure thereby putting the state on the world’s industrial and development maps. Commenting on the dynamics of service delivery, Emmanuel Enoidem. Esq had this to say: “Governor Akpabio is not called a digital governor for nothing: he is a man who believes in quality, beauty,style, aesthetic”. Little wonder the Akwa Ibom State Governor’s lodge and the Banquet Hall were adjudged the most superlative in the entire of west africa. The manner of prudence, supervision and structural specifics which characterised the governor’s lodge made the positively angry governor akpabio exclaim in commendation: ” I want to commend the supervising ministry for a work well done… It demonstrates that we still have men of character in government…Barr Enoidem, please take a bow…”
The quality of the ibom e-library also gives currency to, and attest to the imperative of a paradigm shift in political behaviour. Libraries hitherto, were “glorified shelves” with a few outdated text books, but the ibom e- library, which links the major study centres and academic materials in the world is a signpost for research and scholarship. Supervised by the ministry of Housing and Urban Renewal headed by Emmanuel Enoidem, the research citadel is second to none in Africa and indicative of a paradigmatic shift from traditional to a new consciousness.
It is Barr Emmanuel Enoidem’s cardinal belief that making a paradigm shift include to imbibe a renewed mindset, political leaders, according to the statesman, should learn that what really counts is to truly take the people into account in their development programmes.
In that wise, Emmanuel Enoidem has made the remodelling and beautification projects of his ministry people- centred. Remodelling in Akwa Ibom State have resulted in the building and replacement of old roundabouts in major city like the Itam Junction, Ikot Ekpene Road by University of Uyo Town Campus, Nwaniba Road by Edet Akpan Avenue and major flood control in the city areas such as Uruan Street and the pipe jacking drainage system around the concentric flyovers. These areas before now, constituted urban blights and were repugnant to the psychological well being of the society, hence the shift from traditional paradigm. The ancient city of Ikot Ekpene has received an impetuous boost in respect of remodelling with the building of a new roundabout and shopping malls with superlative landscape. Interestingly, the state government is building a 3-star hotel in Ikot Ekpene in order to give the city a development character. Remodelling of Ikot Ekpene is also aimed at giving the historic city its pride of place, being the first experimental local government in British West Africa.”The relocation of the Ikot Ekpene Prisons and the construction of a new one with standard rehabilitation and recreational facilities has given the city the facelift that befits its status. The prevailing raffia industry in Ikot Ekpene underscores the importance of the city to global tourism. In the same vein, the refurbished Deputy Governor’s Lodge in Uyo, several new Guests Houses which serve as lodge for VIPs visiting the state and the newly created parking lots and gardens within these neighbourhoods by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Renewal has added to the re-branding of the government house, the seat of power.
Creating a paradigm shift is to change the perception of reality: its all about instilling a new consciousness into the development architecture of a society- that the people are the owners of development, and should be at the centre of the development process. This of course, require dynamism, flexibility, and political will as demonstrated by the leadership of the ministry of Housing and Urban Renewal headed by Emmanuel Enoidem, Esq.
Mr. Umanah a development historian, writes from Uyo.Akwa Ibom State